Inflatable head restraint

ABSTRACT

An inflatable head restraint device for vehicle is disclosed. An inflatable head restraint device comprising an inflatable air bag, an inflation device, a sensing device, characterized in that the inflatable air bag can be deployed to be a U-shaped cushion for restraining the head and neck and back portion of an occupant, preventing whiplash injury from either rear, front or side impact crash.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] (a) Technical Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an inflatable head restraintdevice for vehicle seat, and in particular, a device for restraining thehead and neck and backbone portion of an occupant, preventing whiplashinjury of the head and neck from either rear, front or side impactcrash.

[0003] (b) Description of the Prior Art

[0004] The head restraint device developed by SAAB makes use of alinking rod connected to a trigger board on the seat back. When a rearimpact happens to the car, the trigger board will be pushed backward bythe bouncing of occupant's body and move the headrest downward to holdthe head portion of a passenger to minimize injuries. The WHIPS devicedeveloped by Volvo makes use of pendulum-like backward and downwardmoment of the headrest and the seat back, and in particular the headrestwill be moved backward to hold the head of the passenger so as tominimize the impact force exerted to the neck portion. The backwardmovement of the seat back and the headrest is of two stages. First, theparallel backward movement of the seat back and the headrest, and thenthe seat back will be slightly tilted at the second stage. However, thehead restraint of those conventional designs provides only the bufferingprotection to the head for rear impact. There is still lack ofprotection for head and neck from all aspect to front, rear or lateralimpact. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providea head restraint device for a vehicle seat, which mitigates the abovedrawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providean inflatable head restraint device for a vehicle seat, wherein aninflatable air bag is deployed from the headrest and seat back servingas a buffering effect to restraint the head, neck and backbone portionof a passenger preventing whiplash injury from either a front or rearimpact happens.

[0006] A second object of the present invention is to provide aninflatable head restraint device for a vehicle seat, wherein the sidewing of the inflatable air bag is deployed to restraint the head andneck of the passenger preventing injury from the sudden jerking when alateral impact happens.

[0007] A third object of the present invention is to provide aninflatable head restraint device for a vehicle seat, wherein theextended tag bag portion of the inflatable air bag is deployed offeringa better support for the back and the neck portion from whiplashslamming.

[0008] A fourth object of the present invention is to provide aninflatable head restraint device wherein the inflatable air bag isfolded in a repackable pattern in order to be reversibly used.

[0009] A fifth object of the present invention is to provide aninflatable head restraint device wherein the deployment of inflatablebag can be initiated by the vigorous pulling of the seat belt thatcaused by the abrupt forward bouncing of the occupant's body.

[0010] The foregoing object and summary provide only a briefintroduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these andother objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself,all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, thefollowing detailed description of the invention and the claims should beread in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Identical referencenumerals are used throughout the specification and drawings to refer theidentical or similar parts.

[0011] Many other advantages and features of the present invention willbecome manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to thedetailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which apreferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of thepresent invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the interior parts of thepresent invention.

[0014]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the interior structure of thepresent invention.

[0015]FIG. 3A is a perspective view showing a compact arrangement of theinterior structure of the present invention.

[0016]FIG. 4A is a schematic view showing the interior structure of thesensing box at normal condition in accordance with the presentinvention.

[0017]FIG. 4B is a schematic view showing the interior structure of thesensing box in action in accordance with the present invention.

[0018]FIG. 5A is a schematic view showing the trigger system of theinflation device at normal condition in accordance with the presentinvention.

[0019]FIG. 5B is a schematic view showing the trigger system of theinflation device in action in accordance with the present invention.

[0020]FIG. 6A shows an alternative electric sensing box at normalcondition in accordance with the present invention.

[0021]FIG. 6B shows an alternative electric sensing box in action inaccordance with the present invention.

[0022]FIG. 6C is a schematic view showing the trigger system of theinflation device that matches with the electric sensing box inaccordance with the present invention.

[0023]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the deployed air bag in accordancewith the present invention

[0024]FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C are schematic views showing the series actionof the present invention during vehicle being crashed.

DRAWING REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0025] seat 10 sensing box 30 back 11 double ends torsion spring 31headrest 12 axis gear 32 head bag 121 channel 33 side bags 122 triggergear 34 extended tag bag 111 linking cable 35 seams 1211, 1221 and 1111seat belt 40 pressurized gas cylinder 20 electric switch 50 inflationtubes 213, 223, 233 trigger rod 51 controllable valve 21 electricalcontrollable release valve 52 trigger 211 cable 53 tension spring 212anchor plate 213

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0026] For the purpose of enhancing an understanding of the principlesof the invention, reference will now be made to the embodimentillustrated in the drawings. Specific terms will be used to describe thesame. It will, nevertheless, be understood that no limitation of thescope of the invention is thereby intended, alterations and furthermodifications in the illustrated device, and further applications of theprinciples of the invention as illustrated herein being contemplated aswould normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the inventionrelates.

[0027] The term “inflatable head restraint” is defined as an inflatabledevice that mounted at the headrest and the back of a vehicle seat isset to be able to be inflated as a cushion to restraint the head andneck portion of a passenger when an impact happens. The device maycomprise a cushion device (e.g. inflatable air bag), an inflation device(e.g. pressurized gas cylinder) and a sensing device. FIG. 1 and 2 showa preferred embodiment of an inflatable air bag is mounted onto theheadrest 12 and the back 11 of a seat 10. The inflatable air bagcomprises a head bag 121, a pair of side bags 122 and an extended tagbag 111. The head bag 121 and a pair of side bags 122 is folded andmounted into the headrest 12 to form a U-shape head portion. Theextended tag bag 111 is a downward extension from the head bag 121 andlaid onto the upper center part of the seat back near the headrest 12,allowing the backbone of occupant to be closely leaned against thereto.All these air bags 121, 122 and 111 are folded in a pattern that can beeasily folded back and packed inside the headrest 12 for reversibly use,as shown on FIGS. 2 and 6. Resealable fasteners are used as the seams1211, 1221 and 1111 to seal said packed airbags 121, 122 and 111 forallowing being repeated use. Said air bags 121, 122 and 111 areconnected to a pressurized gas cylinder 20 by inflation tubes 213, 223and 233. Said pressurized gas cylinder 20 can be disposed inside theheadrest 12 or the seat back 11, as shown on FIGS. 3 and 3A. Acontrollable valve 21 is provided at the nozzle of the pressurized gascylinder 20 to control the release of the air. A seat belt pulling forcesensing box 30, housing the seat belt 40, is mounted at the shoulder ofthe seat back 11. Once a sudden and strong pulling force of the seatbelt that exceeds certain preset threshold, the sensing box 30 willinitiate the opening of the valve 21 promptly to release the air.Alternatively, the sensing device as the conventional air bag equippedcan be connected to the valve 21, so that the controllable valve 21 ofthe inflatable head restraint device can be ignited as the conventionalair bag system does.

[0028]FIG. 4A shows the sensing box 30 comprises a double ends torsionspring 31 with an axis gear 32 setting through the center of its axis.Said seat belt 40 slides through the channel 33 between the inner wallof the sensing box 30 and the torsion spring 31, and winds around theaxis gear 32. The elasticity of the torsion spring 31 was set to allowthe sliding of the seat belt 40 within normal pulling force. A triggergear 34 bound by a linking cable 35 is set in front of but keep adistance from the said axis gear 32. As shown on FIGS. 5A and 5B, saidlinking cable 35 connects to the trigger 211 of the control valve 21 ofpressurized gas cylinder 20 through the center of the coil of a tensionspring 212. Said tension spring 212 is fixed to an anchor plate 213 andpushes said trigger 211 of the control valve 21 to keep the pressurizedgas cylinder 20 in a close status at normal condition.

[0029] Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, when an impact happens to the car,the seat belt 40 would sustain a sudden and vigorous pulling force dueto the abrupt forward bouncing of the occupant's body. Once the pullingforce is greater than the preset threshold of the said torsion spring31, the seat belt 40 that winded around the said torsion spring 31 wouldbe pulled to be straight and push the axis gear 32 to be in contact withthe trigger gear 34. When the axis gear 32 and the trigger gear 34 arein contact, the pulling of the seat belt 40 will drive the trigger gear34 to wind up the linking cable 35, consequently, pull the trigger 211of the control valve 21 to open and release the air from the pressurizedgas cylinder 20. Thus the air will be promptly released from thepressurized gas cylinder 20 to deploy the air bags 111, 121 and 122through the inflation tubes 213, 223 and 233. In accordance with thepresent invention, alternative sensing initiation mechanism can be usedsuch as: electric switch 50 as shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C or theconventional sensing system for airbag. Once the pulling force isgreater than the preset elastic threshold of the said torsion spring 31,trigger rod 51 of the axis gear 32 will be pushed to press the electricswitch 50 and initiate an electric signal to the electrical controllablerelease valve 52 through a cable 53 to open and release the air from thepressurized gas cylinder 20.

[0030] Referring to FIGS. 7, 8A, 8B and 8C, when an impact happens tothe car, the seat belt 40 will be pulled forward due to the inertiaforce of the passenger, once the pulling force of the seat belt isstronger than the preset elastic threshold of the torsion spring 31, theaxis gear 32 is pressed to be in contact with the trigger gear 34, thusdrives the trigger gear 34 and winds up the lining cable 35.Consequently, the vigorous pulling of the seat belt will initiate theopening of the controllable valve 21 to release the air from thepressurized gas cylinder 20 and deploy the air bags 111, 121 and 122through the inflation tubes 213, 223. The head bag 121 and the pair ofside bags 122 form a U-shaped cushion serving as a buffering effect toprotect the head and neck portion of a passenger from whiplash injurythat induced by either a front or rear impact happens; said pair of sidebags 122 is designed to further protect the head and neck of thepassenger from injury by the lateral jerking when a side impact happens;the extended tag bag 111 will offer a better support for the backboneand the neck portion from whiplash slamming. All these air bags 121, 122and 111 are characterized in folding in a pattern that can be easilyfolded back and repacked inside the headrest 12 for reuse.

[0031] It will be appreciated by person skilled in the art that thepresent invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown anddescribed hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present inventionincludes both combinations and sub combinations of the featuresdescribed hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereofwhich would occur to a person skill in the art upon reading theforegoing description and which are not in the prior art.

I claim:
 1. An inflatable head restraint device, comprising: aninflatable air bag mounted in the headrest and back of a vehicle seat;an inflation device connected to said inflatable air bag and controlledby a control valve; and a sensing device for detecting sudden pullingforce when an impact happens and initiating the trigger of saidinflation device.
 2. The inflatable head restraint device of claim 1wherein said inflatable air bag comprises three portions, in which thehead bag portion and the pair of side bags portion form a U-shapedcushion located at the headrest and an extended tag bag portion locatedat the upper center part of the seat back.
 3. The inflatable headrestraint device of claim 1 wherein said inflatable air bags are foldedin a pattern that can be easily folded back and packed inside theheadrest.
 4. The inflatable head restraint device of claim 1 whereon thesurface of the seat back and the headrest that covers those folded airbags is provided with a resealable seam for egress of said air bagsduring deployment.
 5. The inflatable head restraint device of claim 1wherein said resealable seams are provided to seal said repackableairbags for allowing repeated use.
 6. The inflatable head restraintdevice of claim 1, wherein the inflation device comprises a pressurizedgas cylinder that connects to said inflatable air bags with tubes, and acontrollable valve that disposed at the nozzle of the gas cylinder tocontrol the release of the air.
 7. The inflatable head restraint deviceof claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises a sensing box that setsat the top of the seat back; said sensing box comprising a torsionspring with an axis gear, a trigger gear bound by a linking cable. Saidsensing device is able to detect the sudden pulling force of the seatbelt that exceeds a preset threshold to trigger the control valve todeploy the air bags.
 8. The inflatable head restraint device of claim 7,wherein an electrical sensing element is used as an alternative switchto detect the pulling of the seat belt. Said electrical sensing elementcomprising an axis gear, an electric switch and a cable. Said electricalsensing device is able to detect the sudden pulling force of the seatbelt that exceeds a preset threshold to trigger the control valve todeploy the air bags.
 9. The inflatable head restraint device of claim 1,wherein its sensing device is directly connected to the sensing devicewithin the vehicle.